RFS Briefings - October 19, 2018

October, 2018 issue of RFS Briefings has some timely and encouraging updates on women in science, particularly:

Thomas A. Steitz, 78, Dies; Illuminated a Building Block of Life
Thomas A. Steitz, PhD, Yale University Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and Professor of Chemistry, died October 9 at his home in Connecticut. Described as a "towering figure of late-20th century science," he was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2009 for his discovery of the exact size, shape, and position of every atom in the ribosome. This project, which took five years during his tenure at Yale, was a fundamental discovery because of its immediate application to medicine. It led to the understanding of how to find antibiotics that can evade drug-resistant bacteria. Dr. Steitz is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joan Argetsinger Steitz, PhD, Yale, an eminent molecular biologist who received this year's Lasker special achievement award in medical science in September. She is a founding board member of the Rosalind Franklin Society.  

The Gruber Foundation Call for Nominations
The Gruber Foundation invites nominations on behalf of individuals whose achievements in Cosmology, Genetics, or Neuroscience would make them suitable candidates for recognition through the 2019 Gruber International Prize Program. Each prize, which is accompanied by a $500,000 unrestricted monetary award, is designed both to recognize groundbreaking work in each field and to inspire additional efforts that effect fundamental shifts in knowledge and culture. Recipients are selected by a committee of distinguished experts in each field. Nomination forms should be completed and submitted online. Please go to https://gruber.yale.edu/prize-nominations for complete details and access to forms. 

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RFS Briefings - September 18, 2018

September 18, 2018 issue of RFS Briefings has some timely and encouraging updates on women in science, particularly:

Lasker Awards Given for Work in Genetics, Anesthesia and Promoting Women in Science
The Lasker Awards, among the most prestigious prizes in medicine, were awarded by the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation on September 11. Joan Argetsinger Steitz, the winner of the Alasker-Koshland Award for Special Achievement in Medical Science, is recognized as "a champion of women in her field." She is a founding board member of the Rosalind Franklin Society.

The Rockefeller University Pearl Meister Greengard Prize
Jennifer A. Doudna, PhD will be awarded the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize on the evening of October 2, 2018 at the Rockefeller University, followed by a reception. Dr. Doudna is best known for her work on CRISPR gene-editing technology, triggering a scientific revolution. You may register now. 

Changing the Culture of Science to End Sexual Harassment
In response to findings of the recent National Academies Report that current policies, procedures, and approaches have not significantly reduced sexual harassment in academic science, engineering, and medicine, Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director, announced that NIH has launched an anti-sexual harassment website. Dr. Collins, co-chair of the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science with NSF Director Dr. France Cordova, will request that the committee consider uniform measures to change the pervasive culture of sexual harassment in science and foster "a culture of respect for all." Dr. Cordova will be speaking at the annual Board Meeting of the Rosalind Franklin Society on November 1-2 at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. 

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RFS Briefings - September 5, 2018

September 5, 2018 issue of RFS Briefings has some timely and encouraging updates on women in science, particularly:

Female Leaders Aim to Reshape Healthcare, Despite the Healthcare Industry's Tremendous Gender Gap in the C-suite
Nearly 300 executives attended Modern Healthcare's Women Leaders in Healthcare event in August to address the need for gender diversity in the C-suite. The keynote speaker, Dr. Claire Pomeroy, president of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation, argued that overhauling the healthcare system requires the full participation of women leaders.

Lorraine Hariton Named New Catalyst President & CEO, Continuing 56-Year Legacy Accelerating Positive Change for Women in Business
Ms. Hariton's longstanding commitment to the advancement of women in the workplace includes a steadfast and diverse background in technology and innovation. Most recently, as Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships for the New York Academy of Sciences, she was instrumental in creating the Global STEM Alliance and its 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures program. And, in her role as Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Ms. Hariton established the Global Entrepreneurship Program, the WECREATE program for women entrepreneurs, and the Secretary's Council on Leadership. 

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RFS Briefings - August 10, 2018

August 2018 issue of RFS Briefings has some timely and encouraging updates on women in science, particularly:

Nancy Hopkins Named Xconomy's 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Nancy Hopkins, professor emerita at MIT, is being honored with Xconomy's 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her career in genetics and cancer biology research. An RFS Founding Board Member, she is also lauded for her groundbreaking work advocating for women in science in both academia and industry. Hopkins cautions that efforts to monitor gender inequity is "'a process that you have to keep doing until women are really seen as equal."' 

Rosalind Franklin and the Damage of Gender Harassment
"Taken for Granted," a monthly column by the scientific workforce expert Beryl Lieff Benderly, focused on Rosalind Franklin for its August publication. Prompted by the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report addressing the prevalence of sexual harassment in university science, Benderly identified Franklin as the victim of "gender harassment." 

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